Electric elevator



(No Model.)

m ET mm Ru E m 0 Gm m HL E Patented June 14,1898.

llwrrien States Patent @rrrc H HAYWARD COCIIRANE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

ELECTREC ELEVATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 605,598, dated June 14, 1898. Application filed April 19, 1897. Serial No. 632,749. (No model.)

To (LI/Z whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HAYWARD COOHRANE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Electric Elevators, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and okact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

My invention relates to an electric elevator controller, its object being to provide improved means for controlling the operation of an electric elevator whereby the elevator may be readily started or stopped and, furthermore, to provide a controller for automatically regulating the speed of theelevator.

I will describe my invention in connection with the construction and arrangement which I preferably employ in practice. A compound-wound electric motor is used, the series-field winding being formed in sections, and, in starting, after the resistance has been cut out of the armature-circuit the series-field coils are out out. When the motor is brought to rest, a resistance is cut into the shunt-field circuit and removed upon starting the motor again. A brake is employed which is operated by a magnet having series and shunt windings and acts to throw on the brake when the motor-current ceases, and also acts as a regulator to maintain a normal speed when the car is moving by gravity.

My invention comprehends a specific form of reversing-switch and rheostat'controller, as hereinafter set forth.

I have illustrated my invention in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a diagrammatical view illustrating the circuit connections. Fig. 2 is aview in elevation of the reversing-switch. Figs. 3 and 4 are sectional views thereof on line 3 3, Fig. 2, showing the switch-roller in its alternative positions. Fig. 5 is a view of the brake for bringing the motor to rest and of themagnet for controlling the same. Fig. 6 is a View of an adjusting device for the brake. Fig. 7 is a View in elevation of the roller for cutting in and out the resistance of the rheostat and for controlling the series-field winding. Fig. 8 is a sectional view thereof.

Like letters and numerals refer to like parts in the several figures.

The reversing-switch which I preferably employ and which in its individual capacity embodies features of novelty which I have claimed herein comprises a roller or drum a,

divided lengthwise into three parts by means.

of the disks a a a o Between the disks a a are provided longitudinally extending plates a and a, situated at about one hund red and twenty degrees apartth at is, a distance equal to about one-third of the circumference of the roller. These plates are electrically connected by means ofa conductor a Beneath the roller a brush Z) is prov ided,while upon opposite sides of this brush and removed therefrom by distances equal to about one-third of the circumference are provided brushes Z) b respectively. IV hen the roller is in the position illustrated in Fig. 3, the brush 1) makes contact with plate a and brush Z) makes contact with plate a, the circuit being thus closed from brush 1), plate a, conductor a and plate a to brush 1). The brushes Z) and 'b are electrically connected. and brush b is on open circuit. By rotating the roller into the position illustrated in Fig. 4: plate a is brought into contact with brush 1) and plate a into contact with brush brush Z) being thus removed from circuitand circuit closed from brush Z) to brush Z) through plate a conductor a and plate a.

Between the ins ulatin g-rings c a two similar plates a a", connected by conductor to are provided, and a brush b is provided at the bottom of the roller, while brushes b b are provided upon opposite sides. I preferably subdivide the brushes used in connection with the roller and employ one or more brushes in each set, according to the strength of the current employed. The middle section of the roller carries a pair of contact-plates a a adapted to engage the brushes a a to short circuit the reistance a included in the field-circuit when the roller is in position to close the armaturecireuit. One of the plates is provided on each side of the roller.

I The motor which I preferably employ is of the compound-wound type, in which the series winding is made in sections and a switch is :1 ceases provided [or gradually cutting resistance out of the niotouarinature, after which the sections of the series winding are cut out one by one, preferably by short-circuiting the same. instead of opening the shunt-wind ing a high resistance is cut into circuit therewith after the armaturocireuit is opened. In starting the motor the resistance is first removed from the shunt-field, the sections of the series licld are then included in circuit and, finally, the resistance is gradually re moved from the armature-circuit.

The switch for controlling the rheostat and the series sections of the hold comprises a roller 0, carrying a contact-bar extending in a helical direction about the surface oi? the same, and a series of brushes or contacts c c are provided, situated side by side in a row and connected with the resistance-coils. As the roller is rotated the helical cont-actwbar successively engages the brushes to successively short-circuit the resistance-coils whenv rotated in one direction and to successively iueludethe coils incircuit whenmoved in the opposite direction. [it the end the coi'itactbar 0' is prolonged into a ring 0, extending about the roller, so that the brush at the end always makes c in1tact with the ring. 'll ith the roller in the position illustrated in l ig. 7 a rotation of the roller in a direction to raise the COIllIEtClJ-bfti' will act to include more of the resistance-coils in circuit by moving the contact-bar out of contact with the brushes upon the left. The circuit thus extends from line on the left through the resistance-coils to the first brush in contact with the COI'lllztGt bar, thence through the bar to the ringc= and to the brush resting thereon, and thence to line. The lower edge of the contact-bar, as seen in the ligure, is cut away to form a steplike edge, so that the leaving edge will be parallel to the edge of each brush, and these edges are rounded to prevent the formation of a destructive are between the brush and the contact-bar as the brush breaks contact therewith. its the roller is rotated in the opposite direction the brushes are engaged one by one to successively short-circuit the resistancecoils. A number oi. the brushes always engage the contact-bar at once, so that the brushes break contact one by one slight arcing results, since a path for the current is already established through the other brushes.

Upon the left of the contactebar c is provided a similar though shorter bar c, with which engage brushes c, connected with the sections of the series winding of the motor, and as the roller rotated in one direction the sections are shortcireuited one by one, and as the roller is rotated in the opposite direction the windings are cut into circuit one by one.

Upon the motor-shaft (Z is provided a brakewheel (1', against which the brake-shoes d (P, carried upon the pivoted lovers (1 d", are adapted to be pressed to bring the motor to ff the former in series with the 1noler-armature and the latter in parallel therewith. The core 1' ot the solenoid is connected with the weighted lever c by a rod f. lhe fit ltllold is surrouiuled by an ironclad shell. to complete the magnetic path and render the solenoid ellicient'. its the lever t, is moved downward the pinion is re ated to engage the racks and draw the bralceshmzs into engageinent with the brake-wheel, and as the weight-leVer is raised the pinion is related to separate the brake-shoes and move the name out of contact with the lu'al It daslu pot c is connected with the w lit-levt'zr tor controlling the tlOWHl'l'dltl movement ol' the lever in throwing on the brake, so that the brake will be thrown on graftnally.

In Fig.1. lhave illustrated diagraminatiealiy the apparel; s above der'ribetl in connection with the circuit arrangements. lhe conductor 1 extends from the binding-post {j to the series coil f of the intake magnet or solenoid tloiuluctor 2 extends therefrom. to brush in ot'the reversing switch. tlhese 'ies ol brushes t) l) and the series Zr 7) are electrically con nected, and conductor :3 e1; tends therelfroni to binding-post 7t of the motor connected with one brush ol. the armature 71/. The other brush is connected with bi aiding-post 7t", l'roin which conductor l-. extends to one end ol' the rheostat, the other end ot the rlieo:-itat being connected by conductor 5 with the series elf brushes h I) and the series 7) 7), which are electrically connected therewith. The brush 1) is connected by conductor (3 with the brush upon the left, circuit extending thence by conductor 7 to binding-post 7;, through set tion 7 of the series field to bunting-post b, from which extends crnuluctor t9, to the second brush o From bindin' post it circuit extends through sectiijin t: ot the series lield to binding-post 71/, from which extenih-i conductor 9, to the third brush l roni binding-post 7r circuit extends through smtion I. of the series field to bindingpost 71/, thence by conductor 10 to the last brush (l gand thence by conductor 11 to binding-post f. The shunt-coils tltol' the motor are connected by conductor 12 with eoiuluetor it) and by conductor 123 with brush or", connected with br sh 0 by resistance in .llrush a is connected with binding-post g by ()(llltlllUtOl .l l. The lield-coilslllare thusciiuinected in shunt with the inotor-arniatnre. 'lhe slnin.t-wind-- ing f of the brahennagnet is connected by conductors 15 and 16, with the conductors 1.2 and 1b, respectively, ol the shunt-held.

The parts being as illustrated in llig. Il cur-- rent from the mains pal-mes trout bindingpostg through conductor], winding ot' the brake-magnet, conductor 2, lower brush b of the reversing-switch, and supposing that the roller is in position to electrically connect brush b with brushes 1) circuit extends from brush I) to brushes 1), thence by conductor 3 to binding-post 72 through the motor-armature h to binding-post 7L2, conductor i to brush 0 thence to ring 0 of the contact-bar c, thence through the contact-bar to brush 0 upon the left, the resistance being thus cut out of circuit. The circuit then extends by conductor 5 to brushes 1;, which are elect-rically connected with the lower brush b through the contacts of the reversing-switch, circuit then extending through conductor 6 and conductor 7 to binding-post 7Z3, thence through the sections 7t 71; k of the series winding of the motor-field to binding-post h, thence by conductor 10 and conductor 11 to bindingpost 9 A shunt-current for the field passes from conductor 1 through conductor 14 to brush (L13, plate a, brush e conductor 13, the shunt-coils Z Z Z of the motor, conductor 12, conductor 10, conductor 11 to the opposite binding-post The field-coils are thus included in circuit in shunt with the armature. A portion of the circuit is shunted from the field-coils and passes by conductor 15 through the shunt-coil f of the brake-magnet and conductor 16, the conductors 15 and 16 being connected with conductors 13 and 12, respectively. The shunt-coil of the magnet is thus included in shunt with the shunt-field coils.

lVhen it is desired to start the motor, the roller of the reversing-switch is moved to short-circuit the resistance in the shunt-field and then close circuit through the armature, and the rheostat-roller is then rotated to move the contact-bar c downward, as shown diagrammatically in Fig. 1, thus removing the resistance-coils from circuit one at a time from the right to the left as the contact-bar successively makes contact with the brushes 0 The bar c of the series-field controller is then moved across the brushes 0 as the roller is rotated to successively short-circuit the brushes from the right toward the left, and thus cut out the coils is k one by one to attain full speed as a shunt-motor. In stopping the motor the rheostat-roller is first rotated to cut the series-field coils into circuit one by one, after which the rheostat contact-bar inserts the resistance-coils one by one, after which the reversing-switch roller opens the armature-circuit and inserts the resistance in the shunt-field circuit of the motor and in the circuit of the shunt-wind ing of the brake-magnet. The introduction of the resistance into the shunt-field circuit serves to cut down the field without removing the energizing-current entirely, a small current thus flowing through the shunt-field when the motor is at rest which is su flicient to maintain initial magnetism, so that when the motor is again started and the resistance is cut out of the shunt-field the motor starts up more readily than when the shunt-field is entirely opened.

If it is desired to reverse the direction of rotation of the motor to change the direction of movement of the elevator-car, the reversing-switch roller, after havingbecn moved to carry the contact-plates out of engagement with the brushes 6 b and brushes b Z) to thereby open the a1unaturecircuit, is rotated through a farther distance to bring the contact-plates into connection with the brushes b b and brushes b respectively, thus reversing the direction of the current through the armature to cause the motor-ar mature to travel in the opposite direction. The plate a is brought into contact with brushes a a, thereby short-circuiting the resistance a and excluding it from circuit with the shunt-field. The circuit may be traced from conductor 2 to brushes b thence to brushes Z), which are connected with brush b thence by conductor 5, through the rheostat to conductor 4;, binding-post 71 through the armature h, binding-post h, conductor 3, brushes 1), brushes b brush b conductor 6, to the opposite side of the line.

The windings f f of the brake-magnet are arranged to normally hold the solenoid-core raised, thereby raising the brake-lever to maintain the brake out of operation. Then the current through the series-magnet ceases by the opening of the armature-circuit, the

shunt-coil is sufficient to maintain the solenoid-core in its upper position to prevent the actuation of the brake. XVhen, however, the resistance is cut into the shunt-field circuit, the solenoid-core is released and the weight upon the brake-lever causes the'lever to descend to rotate the pinion and throw on the brake, thus bringing the motor to rest. In starting the resistance is first cut out of the shunt-field circuit, but the current traversing the shunt-circuit of the brake-magnet is insuflicient to raise the solenoid-core, though preferably sufficiently powerful to hold the solenoid-core in'its raised position when once raised. Upon the closing of the armaturecircuit the circuit through the series winding of the brake-magnet is closed and the solenoid is lifted to throw oif the brake. The dash-pot acts as a controller toprevent the rapid descent of the weight-arm of the brake when the brake is thrown on.

The compound winding of the brake-magnet acts as a regulator to control the speed of the motor. During the normal running of the motor sufficient current traverses the se ries and shunt windings to maintain the solenoid elevated and prevent the operation of the brake. Should, however, the speed of the motor, due to the movement of the car, increase above the normal speed, so that the motor becomes a generator, the direction of the current through the series winding will be reversed, since the motor will now be supplying current to line instead of receiving current therefrom. The series winding will thus act in opposition to the shunt-winding to neutralize the shuut-wiinling and permit the descent of the solenoid-core, and thus throw on the brake, thereby decreasing the speed of the motor until the motor again acts as a motor receiving current from the line. The direction of the current through the series winding will be reversed to cause the series winding to act in conjunction with the shunt-whirling and raise the core of the solenoid and throw the brake out of operation. The speed of the motor is thus permitted to increase until it acts as a generator, when the brake will again be thrown on for a time and thrown oil again as soon as the speed falls below the )redetermined value. By the employment of the brake-magnet with the compound winding the elevator may be allowed to descend, due to its own weight, and the brake-magnet will act to alternately throw the brake on and off to maintain a definite speed. The elevator-car is usually counterbalanced by a weight which exceeds the wci ght of the car. In ascending with a light load the ascent of the car is produced by the descent of the counterbalancing-weight. The movement of the car in ascending with a light load is thus regulated and controlled by the brake-magnet. In the descent of the car with a heavy load the movement is due to the weight of the car and load, which weight is greater than the weight of the counterbalaneing-weight. The car will thus descend by its own weight, and the movement of the car will be controlled by the compound brakemagnet.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination with a compoundwound electric motor, of a starting resistance for the armature-circuit, and a switch [orsuccessively short-circuiting the series-field. coils to cut the same out of circuit, and means for first cutting the resistance from the armature-circuit in. starting and then successively short-circuiting the series-field coils and for successively removing the short circuits around said series-field coils in stopping and then cutting resistance into the armature-circuit, substantially as described.

2. The combination with a compoundweund electric motor, of a starting resistance for the armature-circuit, and switch for successively cutting the series-field coils into and out of circuit a resistance adapted to be cut into and out of the shunt-field circuit and means [or cutting the resistance from the shunt-field circuit in starting then cutting the resistance from the armature-circuit and cutting out the series-field coils and for cutting in the series-field coils in stepping, cutting the resistance into the armature-circuit and including the resistance in the shunt- .lield circuit, substantially as described.

u. The combination with a series of brl'ishcs or contacts between which the coils oi the armature-resistauce are connected, of a se ries of brushes or contactsbetween whichthe series-field coilsot an electric motor are connected, an oblique contactbar niahing continuous contact with the end rheostat-ln-ush and movinglaterallyt successively make and break contact with the brushes and a second oblique contact-bar adapted to make contort with the brushes connected with the seriesfield coils to cut the same into and out of circuit, substantially as described.

i. In a reversingswitch, the combination with a roller carrying at each end a pair oli' clectrically-eonnected conlnct-platcs, or two groups of three brushes each, one brush oi. each group being connected with the opposite sides of the current-supplying circuit, the second brush of each group being connected with one side of the supplied circuit and the third brush of each group being connected with the opposite side of the supplied circuit, and means for moving the contact-plates into contact with the two brushes of the simplycircuit and the contact-plate at one end. into contact with a brush of one side of the sup plied circuit and the contactplate at the other end into contact with a brush ot the opposite side of the supplied circuit, substal'itially as described.

5. lhe combination. with an electric motor, of a brake therefor, an armature or solenoid core connected with the operating-lever oi. said brake, and arranged to lift the brakeshoes, a stationary coil acting upon said core and included in series with the armature of said motor and a second stationary coil acting upon said core and included in shunt with the armature oi? the motor, substantially as described.

b. The combination with a compound electric motor, of a brake therefor, a braheanag not provided with two coils, one in series with the armature and the other in shunt therewith, and switching apparatus for cuttingthe startingresistance into and out of the armature-circuit and for cutting the seriessiield coils into and out of circuit, substantially as described.

7. The con'ibination with a compound clevtric motor, of a brake therefor, a bralmanagnet provided with a series and a shuut-wi1uling, and switching apparatus for cutting the starting-resistance into and out of the armature-circuit for cutting the series-lichfl coils into and out of circuit, and [or cutting a resistance into and out oi the shunt-held circuit, substantially as described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of. two wit-- nesses.

HAYWARD (M tANlt. Witnesses:

W. CLYDE Jones, M. ltoouron'n. 

